Improvement in materials for chair seats, backs, veneers, floorings



F. HICKMAN.

MATERIAL FOR CHAIR-SEATS, BACKS, VENEERS, FLIOORINGS, m.

Patented March 7,1876

N'o.174,5z7.

.fittorney WITNESSES MPEFERs. PHQTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D 0.

UNITED STATES PATENT Genoa FRANCIS HIGKMAN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MATERIALS FOR CHAIR SEATS, BACKS. VENEERS, FLOORINGS, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,527, dated March 7, 1876; application filed October 4, 1e75,.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANCIS HICKMAN, of Reading, in the county of Berks and in the the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Material for Chair Seats and Backs, Veneers, Flooring, and other purposes; and do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the let ters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in an ornamental board or veneering made of shavings or sawdust, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which the two figures represent, respectively, a board made of shavings and of sawdust.

In the manufacture of my improved ornamental board or vencering, I take shavings or sawdust of different colored wood, and steep or boil the same in dissolved glue, melted shellac, or similar equivalent material, and when thus steeped or boiled the material is spread on a suitable backing in the desired form, and allowed to dry under pressure.-

This backing or surface to which the material is to be applied should first be coated with the adhesive material, 6. 0., glue or shellac or the pressure may be applied when the glue or gum is semi-liquid or partially dried before it becomes set or hard.

In the drawing, A is the veneer, and B is the backing upon which it is spread, and which forms an integral part thereof. The backing B may be of cloth or any other suitable material, according to the purpose for i which the board or veneer is intended. The

backing B gives great strength and durability to the veneer and prevents cracking.

This article may be used for a variety of purposes, such as ornamental table-tops, paneling, wood-carpets, &c., and I do not confine myself to any specific purpose for using the same. Iain aware that sawdust has been mixed with glutinous matter, molded in molds, dried to form combs, pipes, moldings and other articles. that it is not new to spread a plastic composition upon a backing of pasteboard or like material, but I am not aware that the invention I have described, and spread upon a backing of cloth or other material, has ever before been known.

The shavings or sawdust are steeped in liquid glue-that is, soaked or saturated until thoroughly impregnated with the glue; the same process to. be followed with melted shellac or a solution of shellac. No distinct proportions of glue and sawdust or shavings can be specified, as the amount to be used depends upon the size of the article to be made.

After soaking the shavings or sawdust in the adhesive material it isapplied to the canvas backing or'board, or to whatever surface it may be desired. After cooling, or rather becoming partially stiff, and before being dry, it may be condensed or pressed, either by passing through rollers or being placed in a press, this process consolidating the material and ridding it of surplus glue or shellac. Any desired thickness of the material maybe made by repeating this process.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Amaterial for chair seats, backs, veneers, flooring, 8m, consisting of sawdust or fine shavings, dissolved glue, and melted shellac, and spread upon a backing of cloth or other material, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I

have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of I September, 1875.

FRANCIS HIOKMAN. Witnesses:

WM. A. SKINKLE, F. M. BANKS.

I am also aware 

